The use of acellular dermal matrix membrane for vertical soft tissue augmentation during submerged implant placement: a case series

ObjectiveTo evaluate the efficiency of acellular dermal matrix membrane to augment vertical peri-implant soft tissue thickness during submerged implant placement. Material and methodsForty acellular dermal matrix-derived allogenic membranes (AlloDerm, BioHorizons, Birmingham, AL, USA) and 42 laser-modified surface internal hex implants (BioHorizons Tapered Laser Lok, Birmingham, AL, USA) were placed in submerged approach in 40 patients (15 males and 25 females, mean age 42.51.7) with a thin vertical soft tissue thickness of 2mm or less. After 3months, healing abutments were connected to implants, and the augmented soft tissue thickness was measured with periodontal probe. The gain in vertical soft tissue volume was calculated. Mann-Whitney U-test was applied and significance was set to 0.05. ResultsAll 40 allografts healed successfully. Thin soft tissue before augmentation had an average thickness of 1.54 +/- 0.51mm SD (range, 0.5-2.0mm, median 1.75mm), and after soft tissue augmentation with acellular dermal matrix, thickness increased to 3.75 +/- 0.54mm SD (range, 3.0-5.0mm, median 4.0mm) at 3months after placement. This difference between medians was found to be statistically significant (P<0.001). Mean increase in soft tissue thickness was 2.21 +/- 0.85mm SD (range, 1.0-4.5mm, median 2.0mm). ConclusionsIt can be concluded that acellular dermal matrix membrane can be successfully used for vertical soft tissue augmentation.